Matthew J Cullen, Sr.
August 27, 1951 - May 26, 2018
Obituary
MIDDLETON-Matthew J. Cullen, Sr., age 66, passed away on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at the UW-Hospital in Madison. He was born on August 27, 1951, in Chicago, Ill., the son of Matthew and LaVerne (McGough) Cullen. He was united in marriage to Kathleen A. Paris in August 1993 in Madison. Matt was a Senior Business Analyst for FirstData Corp., and designed state Medicaid Systems across the United States. He attended Loyola Academy and National College of Education, Chicago, and completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees at Concordia University. Matt was blessed with many talents. The various work roles he held attest to his abilities. Starting out as an Andy Frain usher in Chicago brought him in close contact with famous athletes, movie stars and political figures. Over the course of his career, he managed a food store, a tire store and a restaurant. Matt was one of the first full-time firefighter-paramedics in Grayslake, Illinois, where he served as a fire officer from 1980 to 1993. The lives of many Grayslake residents were saved due to his medical skills. He took great pride in teaching Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) classes to physicians, nurses and paramedics. His work as a Business Analyst took him to 13 states in the country, most recently Nebraska. He had tremendous mechanical ability and understanding of how technology works. The whole family relied on him for help with technology issues. Matt was a captivating story teller, thanks to being 99% Irish, and had a wicked sense of humor that could lighten any situation. Matt’s hobbies included boating, especially sailing on Lake Michigan, model trains, banjo, fiction writing, visiting with his sister Ellen Marie in Paris, France and cooking. He loved the holidays and cooking and hosting huge dinners for the family. But beyond all his professional achievements, Matt was a loving and generous man. He always thought of others first. If a family member or friend needed help, Matt was the first responder. He will be missed by everyone who knew him. His greatest joy was his family; wife, Kathleen Paris; sons, Matthew Cullen and William Cullen (Caryn); daughters, Julia Bresette (Robert), Catherine Davis (Kyle) and Meaghan Sass-Council (Cris); sisters, Judith Cullen and Ellen Marie Gueny and grandchildren, Robbie, Lily, Alice and June Bresette, Emmelyn, Gillian, and Leecy Cullen, Laurel Cullen, and Evelyn and Margaret Davis. Matt was preceded in death by his parents, Matthew and LaVerne Cullen and his first wife, Jacqueline Cross Cullen. A Life Celebration will be held at GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL & CREMATION CARE, 7435 University Ave., Middleton at 2:30 P.M. on Sunday, June 3, 2018. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Sunday from 1 P.M. until the time of the Life Celebration. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Family Children’s Hospital. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.Gunderson West
Events
Visitation
Sun Jun 3, 2018 @ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM CDT
Gunderson Funeral and Cremation Care - Middleton • 7435 University Ave., Middleton, WI 53562
Celebration of Life
Sun Jun 3, 2018 @ 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM CDT
Gunderson Funeral and Cremation Care - Middleton • 7435 University Ave., Middleton, WI 53562
Photos
No photos of Matthew have been shared yet.
Memories
RB
Rick Bailey
Other •
My very first year attending Camp Arrowhead... I'm a very unsure teen looking for a friendly face.... I found so many that first day back in July 1973.... one of first to greet me as I stepped off that old green school bus was Matt..... a sincere smile that immediately put me as ease... I will always remember his friendship, his joy at leading campfires on his banjo.... and the insane boat race during the Olympics that he put all of us teen campers through.... thoroughly enjoying the course he had laid out... challenging, intense, running around the island.... but with us all the way.... encouraging... helping all of us understand it is how you run the race that matters, not whether you come in first... Matt ALWAYS ran the race with a style and integrity that few I have known can match.... Charlie and the MTA have a new rider in heaven!
JC
Jolene Campbell
Other •
Matt was a wonderful person to work with, I have memories of assisting him with a few Administrative tasks throughout his years at First Data, some time ago he told me he would build me a large home on a remote island for assisting him (with small tasks). Each time after this, he would give me an update on the project and would detail the ups and downs of the project, he always made me smile before the phone call ended. I will always smile and remember him for his wonderful way of making someone smile through the good and difficult times. You will be missed Matt.
ND
Noreen Doran
Other •
I met Matt when I was about 12 years old at my father’s summer camp where Matt worked as a counselor for many summers. He was a great counselor, caring, musically talented, fun, funny, talented story teller that kept us all in stitches. I can not imagine my Camp Arrowhead days without Matt being in it. Being 5 years older than me, I looked up to Matt. I was awed with his quick and witty mind, but he also inspired me to be who I am. Matt seemed to know who he was; he was an authentic person with no airs about him. I have many memories but will only share two.
I remember… back in my young teen days, Kris Finnan and I ran the canteen. Matt asked us if we would put Milky Way bars in the refrigerated pop cooler for him. We did and we would often unlock the canteen in the evening hours after the campers were sleeping if someone like Matt asked. One night, we were in town and when we returned, we saw that the canteen door had been pulled off and just set against the doorway. We knew when the Milky Ways were gone, who it had been. He helped fix the door the next day.
Another memory seared into my mind has to do with Matt’s and my love for water skiing. One year after camp was over, he asked me to drive the ski boat, there was a dare that I could make him fall water skiing. This became a huge lesson in my life, because I proceeded to flip the boat by the island on Lake Shishebogama by turning the boat so sharply! This was quite a distance from anyone on the camp shore to even see. It was all very scary at the time. However, despite a crazy set of circumstances that created the unbelievable, we were all safe. My dad helped me see how fortunate I was that no one got hurt. Of course, Matt never let me live that one down.
Just want to add, I am so proud of all of Matt’s accomplishments after we all left camp. His family must feel so proud to have had him in their lives. He was special, a one of a kind, an overall, great guy! I celebrate a well lived life shared by many who loved him! M. Noreen Doran
TW
Todd A Wiehr
Other •
I cut Matts hair for many years. What a great guy always enjoyed his visit. WE laughed alot about Trump. He was always talking about his family and his cooking. His family was very lucky to have him. He will greatly missed by everybody who knew him. May he rest in Peace. Goodbye Matt.
MM
Mike Michele McClain
Other •
We were lucky to have shared a very brief time with Matt and laughed about family histories, personalities, and the joys of being family. Our empahy to his family.
MM
Mike Mergener
Other •
I worked on projects with Matt whilehe was at EDS and I was at APS. In addition to our work collaboration, we shared conversations on life. He was proud of his Irish heritage and his previous work as a firefighter/paramedic. He had a great sense of humor and a great laugh. So sorry to hear of his passing.
Mike Mergener